Vandrad the Viking Part 22

"And I," replied Helgi, "leave early in the morning, though now I would fain stay longer. So you will soon forget the man in the sheepskin coat who so alarmed you."

"But not the coat," she said demurely, her blue eyes lighting up again. Helgi's vanity was a little stung, but he answered gaily,--

"I then will remember your face, and you--"

At that instant a door opened, and turning suddenly he saw Atli come from behind a great bearskin that concealed the entrance to his inner chamber. The old man's face grew dark with displeased surprise, yet he hesitated for an instant, as if uncertain what to do. Then he came up to the girl and said,--

"Thy chamber is ready for thee." To Helgi he added, "I would speak with thee, Helgi."

The girl at once left the fire, and followed him back to the other room. As she turned away, Helgi said,--

"Farewell, lady."

"Farewell," she answered frankly, with a smile, and went out with Atli.

"A bold raid and a lucky one," said the Viking complacently to himself. "A fairer face and brighter eyes I never saw before. Who can she be? Like enough some lady come to hear the spaeman's mystic jargon, and swallow potions or mutter spells at his bidding. I am in two minds about turning wizard myself, if such visitors be common. Methinks I could give her as wise a rede as Atli. But it is strange how she came here; she is not of this country, I'll be sworn."

His reflections were cut short by the entrance of Atli.

"Helgi," said the old man, still speaking very low, "thou hast seen that which ought to have remained hidden from thee."

"But which was well worthy of the seeing," said Helgi.

"Speak not so lightly," replied the old man sternly, and with that air of mystery he could make so impressive. "Thou knowest not what things are behind the veil, or how much may hang upon a word. I charge thee strictly that thou sayest no word of this to Estein; there are matters that should not come to the ears of kings."

"I shall say nothing to any one," Helgi answered more soberly.

"That is well said," replied Atli. "Sleep now, for the dawn draws nigh, and the way is long."

Helgi had just got back to the loft and was throwing off his coat again, when Estein suddenly rose on his elbow and looked at him, and for a minute he felt like a criminal caught in the act.

"Have I been dreaming, Helgi?" said his foster-brother, "or--or-- where have you been?"

"To warm myself at the fire," replied Helgi readily.

"Spoke you with any one?"

"Ay; Atli heard me and came to see whether perchance a thief had come in to carry away his two Nors.e.m.e.n."

"Then I only dreamt," said Estein, pa.s.sing his hand across his eyes. "I thought I heard the voice of a girl; but when I woke more fully, it was gone, indeed. It sounded like--but it was my dream;"

and lying down again, he closed his eyes.

"Should I tell him?" thought Helgi; "nay, I promised Atli, and after all this is mine own adventure."

By the time the day had fairly broken, they were away under Jomar's guidance.

"Remember, Estein, my rede," said Atli, as they departed.

"When the snows melt," cried Estein in reply; "and I think I shall not have long to wait."

It was a raw, grey, bl.u.s.tering morning, with no smell of frost in the air, but rather every sign of thaw, and the old man, after watching the two tall mail-clad figures stride off with their dwarfish guide hastening in front, closed the door, and turned with a grave and weary look back to the fire.

Hardly had he come in when the inner door opened, and the girl entered hastily.

"Who was that other man?" she asked. "I saw but his back, and yet- -" she stopped with a little confusion, for Atli was regarding her with a look of keen surprise.

"Knowest thou him?" he asked. "Where hast thou seen him before?"

"Nay," she answered, with an affectation of indifference, as if ashamed of her curiosity, "I only wondered who he might be."

"He is a certain trader from Norway, whom men call Estein," said Atli, still looking at her curiously.

"I know not the name," she said; and then adding with a slight shiver, "How cold this country is," she turned abruptly and left the room again.

The old man remained lost in thought. "Strange, pa.s.sing strange,"

he muttered, pressing his hand to his forehead. "Can she have seen him? Or can it be--"

His eyes suddenly brightened, and he began to pace the room.

CHAPTER XV.

THE LAST OF THE LAWMAN.

In silence and haste the three men pursued their way. A thaw had set in, chill and cloudy; underfoot the snow was soft and melting, and all through the forest they heard the drip of a thousand trees and the creaking and swinging of boughs in the wind. As the morning wore on and they warmed to their work, the two Nors.e.m.e.n talked a little with each other, but contrary to their wont of late, it was Estein who spoke oftenest and seemed in the better spirits. Helgi, for him, was quiet and thoughtful, and at last Estein exclaimed,--

"How run your thoughts, Helgi? on the next feast, or the last maid, or the man you left bound to the tree? Men will think we have changed natures if our talk goes as it has this morning."

"I had a strange dream last night," replied Helgi.

"Tell it to me, and I will expound it to a flagon or an eyelash, as the theme may chance to be."

"Nay," cried Helgi, with a sudden return to his usual buoyancy, "now that I have my old Estein back with me, I will not turn him again into a reader of dreams and omens. I am rejoiced to see you in so bright a humour. Had you a pleasant dream?"

"Action lies before me," said Estein--"the open sea and the lands of the south again; and the very prospect is medicine."

After a time Estein came up to their guide's side, and said,--

"It will take us surely longer than you said. We had to travel for long through open country when we left the town, and we have never reached the beginning of it yet."

Jomar gave a quick, contemptuous laugh, and answered shortly,--

"Think you then that Thorar brought you by the shortest route?

Those prisoners whom you set free reached King Bue's hall many hours before you. You are not wise, you Northmen."

Estein looked for a moment as though he would have retorted sharply, but biting his lip he fell back again, nor did he exchange another word with the man.